A few of you were asking about the machine made buttonholes on the sweater my mom made. My first buttonholes were done in the same way: like mother, like daughter, or some such thing. It made sense to me and actually they turned out okay. I’m not sure what purists think of this approach!
I made this sweater at least 25-30 years ago. A co-worker of mine was knitting this Penny Straker design — which is still available – and I couldn’t believe I had found another knitter.  I made the identical sweater because I am so darned imaginative. To be honest, in those days we didn’t have knitting magazines with fabulous designs arriving at our doorstep. You had to go to a knitting shop and search through patterns. It made it much easier to just knit the same thing she was making. One thing I do remember is that she did not make buttonholes at all. Her front band was knitted so loosely that she just shoved the buttons through any-old-where. I think that is one reason I used this BH method — to make sure I HAD buttonholes.Â
Here is a close up of the buttonholes:
And the inside showing the grosgrain ribbon:
I still use grosgrain ocassionally on the button side of the front bands for support. Now I tend to use the one-row bound buttonhole or the very simple k2tog, YO buttonhole, but I do think the sewn method has its place.
The main problem with this sweater was that the sleeves were INCHES too long.  I did not know how to calculate the sleeve length for a raglan sleeve — and my sweater had very deep armholes, which of course added length. The sweater is way too small for me now anyway! 🙁
Â
I like your co-workers’ idea for buttonholes 😉 But I think I might try your way, one day! Still waiting for Rambling Rose …
Comment by Marina — August 7, 2007 @ 11:13 pm
From Susan to Marina — Rambling Rose will make an appearance at some point when you least expect it! 😉
Comment by lv2knit — August 7, 2007 @ 11:51 pm
Oh my! You were an expert knitter from birth 🙂 A child prodigy!
Comment by Michelle — August 8, 2007 @ 7:20 am
I can’t believe you still have your first sweater. I have no idea what has happened to all the sweaters I have knit for myself. My mother still has, and wears, one of the first sweaters but then, she is a mother and mothers do that.
Comment by Michele with 1 L — August 8, 2007 @ 8:15 am
Susan- It’s still a nice classic sweater, and very well done.
From my years in working in a yarn shop, did you know that the yarn color
shown in the pattern was always the best seller, even though it didn’t always
suit the knitter? People can’t always picture things any differently than what
is shown.
I find that fascinating.
Comment by Lorraine — August 8, 2007 @ 8:22 am
I like the machine made buttonholes. At least they keep the shape!
Comment by Laritza — August 8, 2007 @ 10:24 am
Wow — so lovely!
Comment by AuntieAnn — August 8, 2007 @ 10:47 am
That sweater (and the buttonholes) look so very, very professional. Apparently you were knitting in the womb. I wonder what your mother thought of that 🙂
Comment by kmkat — August 8, 2007 @ 10:57 am
I was knitting as a teenager and I remember the Penny Straker patterns. They were great. Patternworks revived them recently, I think it was last fall. If I am not mistaken my mother knit this one. It’s a lovely pattern. Those grosgrain ribbon reinforced machine stitched buttonholes were big in the fifties and sixties and last forever. Your sweater looks great and besides, it takes many sweaters to learn how long sleeves should be. I hope you are proud of yourself, you should be burstin’.
Comment by Valerie — August 8, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
Long live grosgrain!
If people muster the courage to cut steeks, I see no reason not to cut buttonholes.
There isn’t “Kosher” in knitting, is there?
If so, hide me from the knitting police.
Comment by PainterWoman — August 8, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
I love the buttonholes! The sweater is gorgeous! Now you got me thinking again
Comment by Carol — August 8, 2007 @ 4:56 pm
I LOVE these buttonholes…this method gives the sweater such a professional (store-bought) look. And that sweater is such a classic.
Comment by Sue — August 8, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
As many of you know, I worked-many years ago- and for many years, at that great old yarn store, The Woolgatherer, in Washington D.C. Margaret did all of the finishing for the store, and the machine made buttonhole, was her butonhole of choice. She was an expert in all areas of finishing. (I learned al ot from her and only wish I had learned even more). I too think it is very professional looking, and very strong. Great looking sweater Susan.
Comment by Marsha — August 8, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Lorraine — I agree. Same experience at the yarn stores I’ve worked in; a lot of knitters can’t visualize ANY change to the pattern, including color.
Comment by surly — August 8, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
i have the same sweater in my closet 🙂 a friend of mine’s mom sewed the grossgrain ribbon in mine and made the buttonholes.
Comment by vanessa — August 8, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Penny Straker! Haven’t heard that in eons. I really like the finished look of grosgrain ribbon, purists be damned.
Comment by Karen B. — August 8, 2007 @ 8:58 pm
Now that you have worked on both type of Bohus kits, what one do you think that you like the best?
Comment by Diane — August 9, 2007 @ 7:53 am
Wow! Much nicer than *my* first sweater. 🙂 I like the grosgrain ribbon idea. I had forgotten that people used to do that quite a bit! Hmmmmmm. :g:
Comment by Romi — August 9, 2007 @ 10:05 pm